Kapiolani Community College

Would you mind giving a typical end time to your days ? You say you normally start around 6:30 a.m. with that time subject to change. About what time do you leave the clinical site on average and about how much additional time do you spend on homework each evening? I guess this would also depend on whether or not you are taking any co-requisite courses. I'm curious to find out what your TOTAL time per day is spent on school-related activies. Mahalo!

Depending on pt load, and what class you're in. Clinicals vary, normally from 0645-1500 two days a week. Homework varies too, I know people who spend 5+ hours and some spend 2, its all a matter of how much you 'get it' and how long it takes you. Of course knowing the ways to do paperwork helps, too. The medsurg I/II classes were spent in clinicals 7-8 hours a day, 2-3 hour patient writeups and 2-3 hours of studying. 156/157 are the two classes that normally kill people trying to work.

Thanks, AugieBear for enligntening us about the "realities" of the program. Working sounds insane but I know we also have to eat. Years before I worked with another nursing student and we did home care making about $ 15.00 per/hour for short 4 hour shifts. I hear the pay is no longer that high. Not sure how to get that type of job now but we used to study while there, mostly while our elderly patient/client slept.

Doesn't seem like there are many of these jobs right now but cna's can still get some interesting hours and short shifts through nursefinders etc. Has anyone tried these ?

Lalalia : with your scores UH sounds like a winner and with only 1 more year for a bsn. I honestly don't know what you are worried about. But I do understand about the anxiety. Did you take pharmacology this past summer at KCC ?

These will be the longest 3 weeks ever. I think we get our letters after the 15th more like the 21st after what Wes, said. sigh !

Hey KL2010,

Thanks for the encouraging words...I've heard so many crazy rumors that it is hard to know what stats are really considered "competitive." I didn't take Pharm at KCC -- took it last semester at WCC. The next few weeks are going to be hard, especially b/c I have a lot of friends and family who keep asking about it!! :) I guess we will know soon enough. I really hope everyone on here gets in! Did you also apply at UH?

i got my KCC acceptance last year first week of Nov IIRC... UHM came about a week later.

i know i had to send in my confirmation to KCC before i'd heard for UHM. i talked to Wes and he just told me to confirm w/ KCC and let them know ASAP if i got into UHM and would be attending there instead.

Thanks for the great info! I am glad to hear that UH notified you pretty quickly after KCC. How do you like the program so far? How is your clinical schedule?

I just got around to reading this thread and although I am glad to see that the direction of the thread has improved, I am disturbed by the things I saw early in the thread. It bothers me that there is more of this military vs local ranting happening here. I am a military spouse and frankly ashamed by some of the things said by the other military spouses ranting on this board, but equally offended by some of the things said by the locals posting. One of the military spouses, amidst her ranting, made a valid point in saying that we pay all state taxes that anyone local pays. The only tax that we are exempt from is Hawaii State income tax for our spouse's income only, and that is because our spouse remains a resident of their home state, unless they choose otherwise, and pays taxes (if applicable) in their home state. Military spouses pay all the taxes that anyone else living here does. We pay income tax, property tax, we pay taxes for state services that we will never use, and we pay taxes to support the community college system that (evidently) we are not given equal access to. The tax-free shopping at the commissary and exchanges is a defined benefit of being in the military, and since the commissaries and exchanges here allow all national guard and reserve members to shop there as well (something that is not guaranteed in other states), plenty of state residents who are not active duty military take advantage of that shopping privilege.

I earned my ADN degree while my husband was stationed in North Carolina. If that school had had the same sort of restrictions that KCC evidently does, my only other avenue to earning my RN license would have been a 2 hour drive to the nearest university with a BSN program 5 days a week for 3 years, something that frankly would not have been possible. I feel blessed that the state of North Carolina not only guarantees resident tuition rates, but prohibits schools from discriminating against military or military dependents, because I would venture to say that my school was even more competitive than KCC, as they accepted only 1 in 10 QUALIFIED applicants, applicants who all met the GPA requirements, had taken all prerequisites and corequisite classes, etc. I got into the program on my own merits, held up equally against other students, maybe I even got the slot over a long-time North Carolina resident because I was more qualified. I certainly don't feel any guilt for that. I worked for 2 years as an RN in North Carolina, and now work here. If all states and schools discriminated as KCC does, making it much more difficult for military spouses to earn their nursing degrees, then the pool of military spouses who are nurses would dry up (6 of the around 30 nurses I work with are active duty military spouses). In addition, while it is true that most military spouses will eventually leave the island, some stay for 10 or more years, and some retire here (again, 4 off the nurses I work with are retired military spouses, so a total of 1/3 of the nurses on my unit either are or were military spouses), so plenty of military spouses contribute to the nursing workforce on the island.

I can sort of see the perspective of KCC and even the local residents in this, but at the same time, I feel they are doing the country and the national community of nurses a disservice in their discrimination. As to legality, I don't know if their policies are legal, but IMO, they are not right. The whole discussion of what Hawaii is and was before the United States invaded them has no place in this venue. Regardless of what Hawaii is, the schools certainly accept federal funding, which comes out of everyone's pockets, including local residents and military.

I really do not want to open a can of worms here, I just wanted to offer a different perspective. I am a military spouse who respects Hawaii, loves living and working here, but I am bothered by the idea that other military spouses might not be getting the opportunities I did because they moved to Hawaii in accordance with their spouse's orders.

Are we going to start up using the "discrimination" tag again? C'mon, let's everybody get the point already. Since no one agrees on who came first, let's leave the chicken and the egg alone. I'd hate to see this forum thread go dysfunctional again. Notice we had a fall out from the original poster regarding this whole topic? Haven't heard from her for a few pages. Maybe she got the point.

Studentnurserachel states she does not want to "open a can of worms" yet she writes an essay supporting her thesis. Oh well, it's up to you, saving you from target practice. The valid claims we have against your "discrimination" claim will continue to hold through. As for the taxes, don't go there. Your comments make it clear you put yourself above the national guard and reserve members, shame on you..."defined benefit of being in the military, and since the commissaries and exchanges here allow all national guard and reserve members to shop there as well (something that is not guaranteed in other states), plenty of state residents who are not active duty military take advantage of that shopping privilege." I have PLENTY of friends who have served 1- 1 1/2 years in the Middle East. I would say let them have any privilege they want for the rest of their lives, even if it is to "take advantage" as you say of your shopping privileges. I hear people whine all the time about their orders to go here or there...but you knew exactly what the job entailed, both as a military member and a spouse.

And the 2 hour drive for a 5 day a week BSN program you complain about? You can bet I could gather a whole auditorium of students here in Hawaii that would GLADLY make that drive. We don't have opportunities as others do. We can't drive or move to the neighbor states to entertain the other 5 options available since the 10 other options in your state don't fit your needs. I would die to drive that 2 hours for my BSN knowing I was guaranteed a spot without having to score a near perfect on my NLN while holding a 3.9 GPA just to be competitive against all the other qualified applicants. When we locals dislike the lack of options here in Hawaii, we move. If we choose to stay, we deal with it, we don't grumble. Same options are open to everyone here alike; locals, military, malihinis, whatever your category. Less pollution here anyways-figure it out.

a request from me, to everyone who plans to write a post:

would everyone please stop the yelling, the screaming! please stop insulting other people, stop calling them names, stop criticizing them, stop writing about how screwed up they are! please!

can you say that you're angry, and ****** off, and frustrated...

because you want respect, and consideration, help, support, opportunity, equality, etc.

no matter who you are... can you say it without insults?

mahalo!

I am sorry to see this thread turn from a good source of information and encouragement to a sounding board of negative messages. Cm'on folks, let's stop the inflammatory comments and try to stay positive...

Sending good thoughts,

Lala

This thread gives us an outlet to relate some of our stresses and it is also a nice common ground to show/give support to others.

#1 In regards to military. sigh.. Hawaii is limited in space just a Makoa said. Sorry. We are just an island. Really no comparison to North Carolina. Although, both sides made great points. Not long ago we had a nursing shortage and the vocational school ( KCC) gives priority to the needs of the community. Unlike UH that doesn't have too. This is why we have an lpn program again. Although, we are not in a nursing shortage today we may be tomorrow. The military folk can be very nice but feel so badly but are just "not" getting the whole community thing. It's not about the taxes folks, its about servicing the people and future people of Hawaii.

#2 Has anyone recieved their letter ? I know it's only the 15th but if I don't get in for spring, I need to go to plan B very quickly. I thought I could just forget about it but I can't. sigh. This is the first time I have applied and it's nerveracking. Although, Lan Vo said I would get in. lol......

#3 Wes said they are attempting to get them out earlier this year. Before November. Who knows. If you get your letter please state it.

Good luck everyone !

No letter yet. But my mail carrier has gotten to know me quite well these past few weeks. I too have to open up plan B soon. It'll be okay for me if I don't get in since I know that I didn't finish all the classes yet. But having a glimmer of hope still brings on the anxiety of waiting like everyone else.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

#2 Has anyone received their letter ? I know it's only the 15th but if I don't get in for spring, I need to go to plan B very quickly. I thought I could just forget about it but I can't. sigh. This is the first time I have applied and it's nerveracking. Although, Lan Vo said I would get in. lol......

Good luck everyone !

Nothing yet for me either...it is hard to 'hurry up and wait.' I really hope we all get accepted! I'll let you guys know when I am notified (either way).

Letters are out! Anyone else receive their letter yet? Got mine today: accepted.

Crossing my fingers for everyone else!!

Well I'm bummed, I didn't get in but I was expecting not to anyways. I still haven't completed all the classes, I am taking those 2 classes now this semester and should be able to get in for Fall 2010. I got alt listed, can anyone tell me your experiences from what you know about the alt list? Supposedly it's 10 additional students they keep on the side in case anyone decides to take other options--like UH if they get in.

Anyone applied for both? How about you Lalalia?

I'm a litte annoyed but they are making me attend that 5 hour orientation, get my immunizations, TB, uniform fittings and CPR class, just to stay on the alt list. And I didn't even get in~! I read on one of the threads that someone was chosen as an alt, went through everything and didn't get in. Oh well, hopefully anyways I am high on the list and will still get a shot at this upcoming semester.

Congratulations to all who got in. And for those who didn't, don't give up!!! It's a lot of hard work but I know many of you can do it!